Field emission type surface light source device and image display apparatus employing the same

Abstract

A field emission type surface light source device and an image display apparatus employing the same. The field emission type surface light source device includes a first substrate and a second substrate that are disposed to face each other; a sealing member that seals the first substrate and the second substrate; first electrodes and second electrodes that are disposed on the first substrate such that the first electrodes cross the second electrodes in an insulated state; electron emitters that are electrically connected to one of the first electrodes and the second electrodes; a phosphor layer that is disposed on one surface of the second substrate; a third electrode that is disposed on one surface of the phosphor layer; and a first terminal and a second terminal that are electrically connected the first electrodes and the second electrodes, respectively, and are disposed on a same side of the first substrate outside of a region sealed by the sealing member.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A field emission surface light source device comprising:
 a first substrate and a second substrate that are disposed to face each other, wherein each of the first substrate and the second substrate comprise:
 a top surface; 
 a bottom surface; and 
 a plurality of lateral sides; 
 
 a sealing member that seals the first substrate and the second substrate; 
 first electrodes and second electrodes that are disposed on the first substrate such that the first electrodes cross the second electrodes in an insulated state; 
 electron emitters that are electrically connected to one of the first electrodes and the second electrodes; 
 a phosphor layer that is disposed on one surface of the second substrate; 
 a third electrode that is disposed on one surface of the phosphor layer; and 
 a first terminal and a second terminal that are electrically connected the first electrodes and the second electrodes, respectively, and are disposed on the top surface and extend to a same lateral side of the plurality of lateral sides of the first substrate outside of a region sealed by the sealing member. 
 
     
     
       2. The field emission surface light source device of  claim 1 , wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are substantially quadrilateral flat plates, and the sealing member has a substantially quadrilateral lattice shape. 
     
     
       3. The field emission surface light source device of  claim 1 , wherein a light-emitting region defined by regions where the first electrodes and the second electrodes cross each other emits light in block units, the first electrodes positioned in the same block unit are connected to the first terminal through a common first connecting line, and the second electrodes positioned in the same block unit are connected to the second terminal through a common second connecting line. 
     
     
       4. The field emission surface light source device of  claim 3 , wherein trenches are formed in regions where the first electrodes are disposed on the first substrate, and the first electrodes are disposed on lower surfaces of the trenches. 
     
     
       5. The field emission surface light source device of  claim 3 , wherein the first connecting lines alternately extend to two sides of the light-emitting region to be connected to the first terminal. 
     
     
       6. The field emission surface light source device of  claim 3 , wherein the first connecting lines extend to one side of the light-emitting region to be connected to the first terminal. 
     
     
       7. The field emission surface light source device of  claim 3 , wherein trenches are formed in regions where the first electrodes are disposed on the first substrate, and the first electrodes are disposed on lower surfaces of the trenches; and
 the trenches are formed to extend from the light-emitting region, and the first connecting lines are disposed on lower surfaces of the extending trenches. 
 
     
     
       8. The field emission surface light source device of  claim 1 , further comprising a third terminal that is electrically connected to the third electrode and disposed outside of the region sealed by the sealing member on the same top side of the first substrate that the first terminal and the second terminal are disposed, and a connecting electrode that is electrically connected to the third electrode and disposed in the sealing member. 
     
     
       9. The field emission surface light source device of  claim 8 , wherein the connecting electrode passes through the sealing member. 
     
     
       10. The field emission surface light source device of  claim 8 , wherein the connecting electrode has a clip shape that is inserted into a part of an outer portion of the sealing member. 
     
     
       11. The field emission surface light source device of  claim 8 , wherein the connecting electrode surrounds at least a part of the outer portion of the sealing member. 
     
     
       12. The field emission surface light source device of  claim 1 , wherein the electron emitters are disposed only on the first electrodes, so that the first electrodes function as cathodes, the second electrodes function as gate electrodes, and the third electrode functions as an anode. 
     
     
       13. The field emission surface light source device of  claim 1 , further comprising a housing in which the first substrate and the second substrate are installed,
 wherein the housing comprises a three-surface box bottom chassis of which one opened surface portion exposes the first terminal and the second terminal, and a side mold inserted into the opened surface portion of the bottom chassis. 
 
     
     
       14. The field emission surface light source device of  claim 13 , wherein a gap is provided between the bottom chassis and the side mold, and a flexible printed circuit configured to connect the first terminal and the second terminal to an external backlight control substrate passes through the gap. 
     
     
       15. The field emission surface light source device of  claim 13 , wherein the first substrate comprises a terminal projecting portion extending in a direction in which the first terminal and the second terminal are disposed with respect to the second substrate; and the terminal projecting portion is inserted into a first socket portion that is disposed in the side mold and electrically connects the first terminal and the second terminal to the external backlight control substrate. 
     
     
       16. The field emission surface light source device of  claim 15 , wherein the terminal projecting portion comprises the first terminal and the second terminal each having a protruding structure. 
     
     
       17. The field emission surface light source device of  claim 15 , wherein the terminal projecting portion has a straight end portion. 
     
     
       18. The field emission surface light source device of  claim 15 , wherein the external backlight control substrate is inserted into a second socket portion that is disposed in the side mold and is electrically connected to the first socket portion. 
     
     
       19. An image display apparatus comprising:
 a backlight unit; and 
 a display panel for forming an image by using light emitted from the backlight unit;
 wherein the backlight unit comprises: 
 a first substrate and a second substrate that are disposed to face each other, wherein each of the first substrate and the second substrate comprises:
 a top surface; 
 a bottom surface; and 
 a plurality of lateral sides; 
 
 a sealing member that seals the first substrate and the second substrate; 
 first electrodes and second electrodes that are disposed on the first substrate such that the first electrodes and the second electrodes cross each other in an insulated state; 
 electron emitters that are electrically connected to one of the first electrodes and the second electrodes; 
 a phosphor layer that is disposed on one surface of the second substrate; 
 a third electrode that is disposed on one surface of the phosphor layer; and 
 a first terminal and a second terminal that are electrically connected the first electrodes and the second electrodes, respectively, and are disposed on the top surface and extend to a same lateral side of the plurality of lateral sides of the first substrate outside of a region sealed by the sealing member. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The image display apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the display panel is a liquid crystal display panel.